History of Pandemics and Surviving Coronavirus Pandemic

The virus is one of the oldest organisms in Earth's history that is parasitic and probably caused plagues in human and animals dating into prehistory. Ancient Athens and Rome experienced several outbreaks during the history of those empires.

In world history, there were five worst pandemics ….

PLAGUE OF JUSTINIAN – Caused by a bacterium called Yersinia pestis, commonly known as the plague. It appeared in Constantinople, the capital of Byzantine Empire in 541 AD. It was carried from Egypt over the Mediterranean Sea on grain ships where plague-infected rats ate upon the grain. It decimated Constantinople and spread across Europe, Asia, North Africa, and Arabia killing from 30 to 50 million people which was about half of the world population. The only way people knew how to fight it was to avoid sick people. It finally ended when the majority of people who survived developed immunity.

BLACK DEATH – the second pandemic occurred 800 years later, the first pandemic returning. It hit Europe in 1347 and killed 200 million people in four years. Still having no scientific understanding of viruses, so they developed a system of quarantine, isolating newly arrived sailors until proven they were not infected. At first they were held for 30 days, then 40 days of isolation that was called quarantino by the Venetians.

The third pandemic as GREAT PLAGUE OF LONDON – London had never really got over the Black Death because the plague resurfaced every 20 years from 1348 to 1665 – 40 outbreaks in 300 years. Every plague occurrence killed 20% of men, women and children living in London. In early 1500s, England imposed laws to separate and isolate those who were sick. Homes stricken by plague were marked with a bale of hay hung on a pole outside the home. If family members were infected, a person had to carry a white pole when venturing out in public. Cats and dogs were suspected to be carrying the disease, so there was a massacre of hundreds of thousands of animals. The Great Plague of 1665 was the last and one of the worst outbreaks that killed 100,000 people in London in just seven months. Public entertainment was banned and victims were forced to be shut inside their homes. Red crosses were painted on their doors along with the words “Lord have mercy upon us”. The dead were buried in mass graves.

The fourth pandemic was SMALLPOX. It originated in Europe, Asia and Arabia for centuries that killed three out of ten people and most survivors pockmarked with scars. Transferring to the “New World”, the death rate was more devastating because the natives had no immunity, arriving in the 15^th century with the first European explorers. The people of Mexico and United States were killed by the tens of millions. It is considered the worst pandemic in human history, the Mexican indigenous people went from a population of 11 million to one million. Smallpox was the first epidemic to end by using a vaccine, discovered by Edward Jenner a British doctor, discovering that milkmaids infected with a milder virus called cowpox were immune to smallpox. Two centuries later, the 1980 World Health Organization (WHO) announced that smallpox had been completely eradicated.

CHOLERA – In early to middle 19^th century, Cholera spread through England, killing tens of thousands. John Snow, a British doctor found that the disease came from London's drinking water. Dr. Snow investigated hospital records and morgue reports to track down locations of the outbreak. The major source was found to be the Broad Street pump, which was a popular city well for drinking water. Snow convinced city officials to remove the pump handle to prevent use of the well and the infections dwindled. It led to a global effort to improve urban sanitation and protect drinking water from contamination. Cholera has been eradicated in developed countries, but still exists in third-world countries that lack proper sewage treatment and access to clean drinking water. Hit in three waves from 1832 to 1866 in United States. During this period of outbreak, 2-6 Americans died each day. A German scientist, Willhelm Kolle, developed a vaccine in 1896. Cholera is still present in Africa, Haiti, Southeast Asia, and central Mexico causing 130,000 deaths a year worldwide. [CDC] Vaccine for Cholera is given to people traveling into areas of high-risk and is a standard vaccine for members of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Epidemics that occurred in the New World … 

YELLOW FEVER - 5,000 people died in 1793 and 17,000 people fled Philadelphia. Vaccine was developed in 1935 and licensed in 1953. No cure for yellow fever, but one vaccination lasts a lifetime.

SCARLET FEVER – In 1858 New England it appeared in waves, 95% of people who caught the virus were children. It ended with the advent of improved hygiene. No vaccine exists for scarlet fever and it is treated with antibiotics. It is not a viral infection, but a bacterial infection that occurs after a case of strep throat. Some studies point to its decline because of improved nutrition, but modern research shows it was improved public health practices. No vaccine for strep throat either, treatment of antibiotics is recommended as quick as possible so it does not morph into Scarlet Fever.

The epidemic known as TYPHOID MARY from 1906-1907. In that year, 10,771 people died from typhoid fever. A vaccine was developed in 1896, but wasn't licensed until 1914. Typhoid fever is rare in the United States today. The plague is named after Mary Mallon who began the spread of the virus to about 122 New York residents during her time as a cook on an estate and then in a hospital unit. Five of those 122 people died during the period of 1906-1907. Mary Mallon was found to be a carrier of typhoid fever, being immune. Typhoid fever is rare but can be spread through direct contact with infected people as well as consumption of contaminated food or water.

SPANISH FLU – In 1918 an estimated 675,000 Americans died from the flu. The vaccine was not developed until 1942. Today, because flu viruses mutate, it is best to keep up to date with vaccines on an annual basis. This mutating virus did not actually come from Spain, but it circulated the world annually affecting the US in 1918. The flu returned in 1957 as the Asian Flu and caused 70,000 deaths before a vaccine was available.

DIPHTHERIA – Between 1921 and 1925 about 15,520 people died from diphtheria, In middle of 1920s, a vaccine was licensed in the United States. This virus is rare today. American members of Armed Forces are provided a vaccination just in case. 80% of children today are vaccinated. Those who contract the disease are treated with antibiotics.

POLIO – About 3,145 people died from polio during the peak year of 1952, but it ran its length from 1916 to 1955. In 1955, Congress legislated the Polio Vaccination Assistance Act. Asia and Africa the virus still exists, but the rest of the world is considered “polio-free”. This virus attacks the nervous system causing paralysis. It spreads through direct contact. Dr. Jonas Salk developed the vaccine in 1955. The CDC reports that the United States has been polio-free since 1979.

SECOND MEASLES OUTBREAK – 1981 to 1991. Annual death rate fluctuated between 2,000 and 10,000 people. Vaccine was licensed in 1963, but doctors recommended second dose in 1989. Measles is still common but mostly in communities without vaccination or people who elect not to be vaccinated. After second vaccine, fewer than 1,000 cases annually.

CONTAMINATED WATER IN MILWAUKEE – Contamination was Cryptosporidium that infected 403, 0000 people, killing 100 in 1993. People with compromised immune systems died. Cryptosporidium was eradicated through water filtration but there are still 748,000 cases each year of sickness from contaminated water.

WHOOPING COUGH – In 2010 and 2014 in California there were 10,000 cases and 10 infants died. Doctors recommend that pregnant women get vaccine. Increased number of whooping cough cases have become a new normal probably caused by high concentration of immigrants in California.

HIV and AIDS – 1980s to present. About 1.2 million people in US have HIV. No cure, but a pill prevents HIV from developing. As of 2005, number of diagnoses has reduced by 19%. May be transmitted from mother to unborn baby if not treated. Transmitted sexually or through body fluids like transfusion of infected blood or saliva.

CORONAVIRUS – Appearing at end of 2019, there are now 124,697 cases as of 29 March 2020 and 2,227 deaths. 3,231 people have recovered. Globally there are as of 29 March 2020, 678,857 confirmed cases, 31,776 deaths and 141,916 people who recovered. Now called “Covid-19” or “SARS-CoV-2”, no vaccination has been developed as of yet. 100 countries have been infected. Older adults and those with respiratory problems are the most endangered. Symptoms are fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue. Antibiotics are ineffective because it is a viral infection and not bacterial. What is being done now is patients are provided fluids to prevent dehydration, medication to reduce fever, and oxygen support – thus the need for ventilators & respirators. Emergency hospitals have been constructed and using existing buildings in major cities like New York and Chicago. Development of a vaccine may take several months (or longer) because researchers must perform “randomized controlled trials”.

Cures presently include use of Remdesivir, an antiviral drug designed to treat Ebola.

Another drug, Chloroquine, used to fight malaria and autoimmune diseases. It has been in use for 70 years. Ten clinical trials are being performed presently for Chloroquine being used to combat coronavirus.

Lopinavir, sold under name of Kaletra is designed to treat HIV, in South Korea a man was given a combination of Lopinavir and Ritonavir that reduced coronavirus infection.

I hope this new pandemic will be over soon for everyone's sake around the world. It is devastating US economy that has been outstanding in the past three years.